Western shore of Loch Lomond
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-> Stirling, the Trossachs and Loch Lomond
-> Loch Lomond
-> Western shore of Loch Lomond
Despite the roar of traffic hurtling along the upgraded A82, the west bank of Loch Lomond is an undeniably beautiful stretch of water and gives better views of the loch's wooded islands and surrounding peaks than the heavily wooded east side. LUSS, setting for the Scottish TV soap High Road, is without doubt the prettiest village on the west coast, with its prim, identical sandstone and slate cottages garlanded in rambling roses, and its narrow sandy, pebbly strand. However, its charms are no secret, and its streets and beach can become unbearably crowded in summer. If you want to escape the crowds, pop into the parish church, which is a haven of peace and has a lovely ceiling made from Scots pine rafters and some good Victorian stained-glass windows. The Loch Lomond Park Centre (Easter-Oct 10am-6pm; tel 01436/860601), adjacent to the massive village car park, can help with any enquiries. The Coach House, just off the main street towards the church, is the place to grab tea, coffee, cake or a roll.
Seventeen miles north at TARBET, the West Highland train - the line from Glasgow to Mallaig, with a branch line to Oban - reaches the shoreline at the point where the A83 heads off west into Argyll; the A82 continues north along the banks of the loch towards Crianlarich. Tarbet has a small tourist office (July & Aug 10am-7pm; June & Sept 10am-6pm; April, May & early Oct 10am-5pm; tel 01301/702260), situated opposite the Tarbet Hotel, but no other reason for stopping, unless you want to join one of the loch cruises, run by Cruise Loch Lomond (tel 01301/702356) that depart from the pier.
North of Tarbet, the A82 turns back into the narrow, winding road of old, making for slower but much more interesting driving. There's one more train station on Loch Lomond at ARDLUI, at the mountain-framed head of the loch, and a couple of miles further north at Inverarnan, is the Drover's Inn (tel 01301/704234; £40-50) one of the most idiosyncratic hotels in Scotland: typically, the bar has a roaring fire, barmen dressed in kilts, weary hillwalkers sipping pints and bearded musicians banging out old folk songs. Down the creaking corridors, which are filled with moth-eaten stuffed animals, are a number of haunted and resolutely old-fashioned rooms.
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